Breathe Slow
by Lady of the frozen black flame
Summary: When Harry Potter was going to set up a prank in the Slytherin bathroom, he gets a shock of his life. Draco Malfoy in the tub- the water coloured with his blood. AU-ish, HP/DM suicidal actions/thoughts.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my first Harry/Draco fiction, please be kind!

~~~0~~~

I lay in a bathtub, the water warm, charmed to do so. The water against my pale skin, relaxing tensions in my body. For a moment I look unto the ceiling thinking yet... not at the same time. Thinking about what I was going to do... It must be close to dinner time by now. I took a day off school, claiming stomach cramps and ache and since there was no need for constant monitoring for cases such as this I have been sent to my room to rest and 'recover'. Recover, what does that word ever mean to me? I am beyond an attempt of recovery. I know this yet I find a small piece of myself asking questions. Is this the only way out? Could there be a better life if I just rode it out? I scoff.

A thousand times I had pondered this question and a thousand times I had came up with the same answer, no.

I leaned over the bathtub grabbing my wand. I point to my wrist.

This is it.

This really is the end, and to think, all that time finding a way out- in the end was given to be by my enemy... I take a breath.

"Sectum Sempra."

Oh the irony.

~~~0~~~

"I dare you! Harry James Potter to go to the House of Slytherin and put this purple skin dye into the Slytherin Lavatory!" Ron said in a mocking posh accent holding out a vile holding clear liquid.

It was a Thursday night, the Thursday night after their major potions exam and Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas played a game of 'Dare or dare!' Testing their Gryffindor courage.

I raised an eyebrow. "And how do you propose I get into the 'House of Slytherin' Ronald Weasley? Not to mention how do you use this dye stuff."

"Well 'Mione and I were walking to the Great Hall when we overheard some Slytherin brats talking about their password. Quite funny actually, one of them was bemoaning the fact that he lost the piece of paper which his password was on..."

Everyone looked at Neville.

"Oh... shut up you lot!" Neville said indignantly.

"Anyways, getting back on the topic! The password is... 'gryffindork'" Ron said with a wince. "Why did they let prefect choose, this year!"

I nodded in agreement. Though there probably wouldn't have been much effort in Snape's part to change their password. "Well where is the dye?" I say ready to get it over and done with.

Ron produces a suspicious looking vile and holds it out for me to retrieve it. "Ron, are you sure this is skin-dye?"

Ron nodded. "That's what Fred and George told me, and if it isn't... Well it's only a Slytherin."

I smirk back, true true.

~~~0~~~

I walked to the portrait guarding the Slytherin common room, with a glamour charm in place to change my appearance (if only for 15 minutes or so) dressed in Slytherin clothes, don't ask.

"Gryffindork." I said mentally cringing. Slytherin fifth years are so mature, note sarcasm.

The portrait hearing the correct password and seeing correct school robes, let me through. Good, that was phase one done. Since this was dinner time there was no one in the common room, good. I doubt that the Slytherins would be bothered to actually check me but it was better this way, in case the charm wore off.

All I had to do was find the bathroom... that shouldn't be too hard since it must stem from the common room, somewhere, right? After I find said bathroom, I was to smear it all over the tub, with gloves of course. I am not that big of an idiot.

After walking around a bit I found a corridor, which in turn had a door. Well this could have been a door way to the bathroom. Smiling I take out the vile of 'my' robe pocket and preceded to push the door open.

~~~0~~~

I hear noises from the room, damn, someone came in before I had ended myself. I wanted to open my eyes but I found that I was too weak. I hear more noises, a voice, maybe? I don't know it sounds muffled, probably me losing my hearing. Damn, I really wanted to end it all in some peace and quiet.

The noises continue, only louder, the has probably come closer...

So tired, so sleepy. I don't bother to resist it. This is what _I_ wanted. It was _my_ choice! The only thing that isn't spiraling out of control and premade for me...

Urg... it's so hard to think...

~~~0~~~

"Malfoy! Malfoy!" I yelled beside him. Shit, shit shit! What do I do? I didn't know any spells to heal him... I couldn't see the wound, that meant it was underwater, I couldn't see anything underwater because the water was coloured red, by his blood.

He didn't react to me, not even when I first entered, his eyes were shut and he was deathly pale, the only way I could see that he was still alive was by the way he was still breathing, I could hear his labored breath echoing off the tiles of the bathroom.

Suddenly Malfoy's head, which resting on his chest lolled to the side... a sign of unconsciousness!

This simple action brought me to motion. I dashed out of the common room. "Help! Help! Someone! GOD! HELP!" I was running to the Great Hall, everyone was still at dinner, but it was so far away from where I am! "Sonorus," I spelled myself making my voice loud enough to be heard on the opposite side of the quidditch pitch. "HELP HELP PLEASE! COME TO THE SLYTHERIN COMMON ROOM!" I said as I was running towards the Great Hall.

~~~0~~~

After two minutes of my plea, I found teachers running towards me. "Silencio!" I say making my voice go back to normal.

"Mr. Potter what is the meaning of this?" Snape drawled out.

"It's Dr- Draco Malfoy sir! Come quickly to the Slytherin Common room!" I panted out, rushing towards the common room leading the teachers. There was no need to explain, while we could be running over to him and possibly saving his life.

~~~0~~~

I rushed down flights of stairs and finally made it to the common room and to the bath room. The teachers not far behind me.

I heard a few of the gasp as they see the sight in front of us.

"Move out of the way, Potter!" I hear Snape call bitingly, pushing me aside. He wasn't the only one to push me away, nearly all the teachers did. I was told to get out. I did, not knowing what else should I do and not wanting to see his pale, limp, lifeless- no not lifeless! He was still alive! He didn't remember any breathing noises though, but he was only there for a quick second before he was barged out!

Draco Malfoy had to be alive...

He had to.

~~~0~~~

A/N: Ta Da!!! Tell me if you like it. If not that is perfectly understandable but you don't have to flame! Only tell me if I should continue this or not?


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I'm so happy that a lot of people seemed to like this story! This chapter would be all in Harry's perspective, most of the story would be from his perspective.

~~~0~~~

I moved away from the teachers who were hovering by the doorway to the bathroom, most of them helplessly looking on. Only Madame Pomfrey and Snape were actually in the bathroom with Malfoy. I walk over to the couch in the middle of the Slytherin common room and I sank in a sitting situation. Letting my back hunch over, I run my hands over my face. What the hell happened?

I close my eyes for a brief second. That was not a great idea. Images of Malfoy in the red bath water flashed before my eyes. I feel nauseous and antsy.

One part of me wants to barge in and ask what the hell is happening, how is he, if he was going to... make it- God! What if he didn't? What if he dies? Then what?

I have no idea how I should react to this, should I feel happy that the annoying little prick in my life is gone? I don't feel happy, in fact I feel down right solemn and sick with worry and anticipation.

So many thoughts and questions are going through my mind, I can't think properly!

Why did I have to be the one who has to find him like this? Why did it have to me? It could have very well been Dean or Seamus or even Neville if Ron had chosen either one of them! Stupid Ron and his dumbass ideas... but if Ron didn't dare me or anyone else to come down here tonight... A sudden whirl of images flashed in my mind. Malfoy would have been found by one of his cronies for sure, by then he would be dead, pale and slipped down in to the bloodied bath- oh Merlin. This wasn't right! This wasn't.

Draco Malfoy wasn't supposed to die by his own hand! Draco Malfoy should have betrayed the Wizarding World by becoming Voldemort's chosen one and... and... well that was as far as he got. Truth is I never gave a second thought to Malfoy, he was always my opposite, my enemy. Until tonight, Draco Malfoy was a two dimensional character, he was the snotty, immature, rich kid... wow if he was his fifth grade english teacher back in muggle England he would call Draco Malfoy a poorly developed character. Harry had a bitter laugh.

"Mr. Potter, what do you find so amusing?" I hear a dark drawl from behind me. Great just what I needed.

"Nothing, sir." I reply standing up and facing Snape.

"I should hope so, Mr. Potter as this situation is quite... suspicious."

I frown, what on earth was he implying? "What do you mean- sir?" I bite out.

"Well, it is well known that you and Draco do not get along, also the fact that you were the one to find him... when it is a Slytherin common room wouldn't you say it is suspicious, Potter?"

"Of course it is damn well suspicious when you put it like that!" I spat. "Did you even take into account that I cried for help! If this was my attempt at killing Malfoy wouldn't I leave him to die!"

I vaguely notice that I was yelling at Snape but I didn't really care. How dare that bastard insinuate that I had any part of this at all!

"Be that as it may, Mr. Potter, I would still need proof and a reason as to why you were down here."

I gave him a chilling glare. "I can get my friends and bring them here, if that is what you want."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Potter we can not have you and your friends plotting and creating some form of alibi." In that instance I wanted to hit Snape with all my might, however I managed to contain myself. "No, instead we're to meet the Headmaster in his office and I shall bring any of your friends who you wish to call."

"Fine." I say rudely, not really giving a damn.

~~~0~~~

Snape and I are waiting uncomfortably in Dumbledor's office, waiting for him to arrive. I could see chairs just a few meters in front of me begging to be sat, enough for me and Snape, however when Snape didn't make a move to sit, I decided to stand. If Snape wasn't going sit then I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of making me seem weaker than him. I understand this is childish but I couldn't help myself.

"Ah, Harry, Severus. I brought Minerva, Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger." I saw Hermione and Ron giving me questioning looks but I couldn't answer their questions at the moment.

"Headmaster I would like to use Veratiserum on the students to verify Mr. Potter's story." Snape said cutting right to the chase.

"I see Severus, for what purpose?" Dumbledor replied peering from his half-moon glasses.

I could see Snape colouring, most likely from anger directed towards me. "To find the truth of what happened tonight."

Dumbledor gave a slight nod, "yes, yes Severus but we can surely do this without Veratiserum. Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger and Harry are trustworthy children."

"Maybe to you! However it is a well known fact that Mr. Potter and Draco despise each other and therefore twist the truth!" Snape said with a raised voice. The red on his cheeks grew darker and more visible.

"I am quite sure that they would avoid lying at all-"

"DON'T TOY WITH ME! YOU JUST WANT TO PROTECT THEM! WHAT ABOUT DRACO!"

There was a stunned silence. This statement took me by surprise, and judging by everyone else's reaction it took them by surprise as well. We were all looking at Snape, looking at his reddened face and angered yet pained expression.

"Sir, I will be willing to take Veratiserum." Volunteered Hermione, but to which professor she was talking to I do not know.

"Me too." Ron mumbled.

"Professor Snape, I cannot let you do this without receiving their parents' permission, they are only children." Professor McGonagall cut in before I agreed to take Veratiserum.

"Professor, we are all above the age of sixteen, by law we aren't adults however as you should know that sixteen year olds have the right to apparate, choose to become animagus or not and drink Veratiserum"(1) Hermione spouted, sagely.

McGonagall looked at her, not in surprise, it would be stupid to be surprised at what Hermione knew about the rules and regulations, Professor McGonagall looked at her with a defeated, tired expression. "Take Veratiserum then, however I will also take part in the questioning, Professor Snape."

As soon as Snape was given the permission he stalked out of the office, his robes billowing out.

I decided to move to a chair and give myself time to relax for the interrogation we were about to face. If I know Snape, as well as I think I do, this interrogation would not be easy on us. Snape would want to get to the bottom of this, probably rephrasing his questions a few times to make sure there was no loop holes that we could somehow lie.

I groaned, this was going to be hell.

~~~0~~~

(1) Not sure if this is true at all! Artistic license!

A/N: I hope you all liked this new installment. Once again I need your help in telling me if there were any mistakes and also if there is any gramatical and spelling mistakes that I hadn't picked up. Also just a review to say it was good or bad is appreciated. Reviews and Reviewers are Loved!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry for the wait, hope this is worth it.

~~~0~~~

Ron, Hermione and I had took the Veratiserum and we gave our statements. Of course Snape asked the same questions over and over again using a different angle to make sure there wasn't some loophole we could use to lie. Snape, needless to say looked as if we were the Grinch that had stolen Christmas, when we told him we were innocent (over and over again, mind you). He had been so sure that we had planned to kill Malfoy.

This reminded me of all the times we had blamed Snape, basing our suspicions on him just because he was so easy to blame.

I sat up in my bed, we were dismissed after the the interrogation was over, off to bed with a vow that we would keep this silent and agree with the cover story of a prank.

I look over to Ron's bed. He is probably asleep. On the way to the Gryffindor Common room, he was unusually silent, Hermione too. Then again what could we say? It was tweleve o'clock and our enemy had just tried to kill himself...

'Tried?' a voice in my head spoke. 'He could very well be dead you know...'

I shook my head to get rid of that thought. No, there was no way he is dead, no way. Besides there is no way that we would know, not until morning when we would be able to see him.

I tilt back my head so that it leaned on the headboard.

Why. Why did he do it? As far as I know he was a happy spoiled little rich kid, very much like Dudley. The thought of Dudley trying to kill himself was ridiculous, that kid had no angsty bone in his body. He is living life happily and his only worry is that I'll turn him into a hideous monster, not that he isn't already.

At that, I gave a small chuckle.

"Mate," It is Ron, I guess he can't get to sleep either. "What is so funny? Because I need to distract myself from..." He trailed off, probably not wanting to acknowledge it yet.

There was silence.

"Hey Harry, do you think we could use your invisibility cloak to, you know, see him."

Idiot! I mentally cursed myself. I had completely forgotten about it. Why on earth hadn't I thought of that? But... do I really want to see him? The last I saw of him, he was in a bath of blood, pale, limp, lifeless.

I felt sick.

"Urm... mate?"

"Oh, um, yeah we should go."

~~0~~

Ron and I, outside the doors of the Hospital Wing could hear high pitched screeching. "Oh, my Draco!" This was followed by a wail and loud sobs.

"I'm guessing Mrs. Malfoy just arrived and saw him." Ron said grimly.

"How could this have happened, oh, Draco!" Came the heart wrenching sound of a mother who just saw her son on his deathbed.

"Mate, I really don't think we shouldn't be here, it's sort of... well, privet, right?"

I nodded, however he didn't agree with Ron. I of all people should be in there. I, who found him, lying there, in the bath. I had the right to see if he was alright at least if he is alive.

There goes my stomach, again. Whenever I contemplate the possibility of him being dead I feel dreadful, like ice is shoved down my stomach while my heart plummet to the bottom of my feet.

"Mate, you in there?"

I turn to look at Ron. "Yeah, let's go." As I say this, I made myself a promise to see him tomorrow.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hello, I didn't take so long this time to update. Enjoy the read.

~~~0~~~

All day I couldn't concentrate in my classes. My mind kept thinking of Draco and how he was in the Hospital Wing probably just lying there pathetically- sleeping, or maybe he was back to his snarky, self-absorbed self. Now in the common room at seven thirty, I was planning a way to get to Malfoy and ask questions that he could possibly answer.

However my tricky mind would then ask questions like, 'did he try to commit suicide or did some decided to kill him and make it look like suicide?' which he would never answer but I seriously considered asking him that, just to gauge his reactions to make an educated guess. The Draco Malfoy I knew wouldn't even think to kill himself. Malfoy the cocky and arrogant, the wimpy boy who would cry out at the slightest touch of pain would not commit suicide. Then someone else has to have done it... but I didn't see any Aurors hanging around and no announcements of any sort. So that probably means a lot of things:

One: Draco isn't dead

Two: Draco did this of his own will or he is too scared to tell the professors that someone had did this to him.

I bit my lip, I would find out more tonight when I visit him. I groan at that thought, I haven't even thought of a plan for tonight. I can't just barge in demanding to see him, Narcissa might still be in the Hospital Wing with Draco, and even if she wasn't what was he going to say to Draco? 'Hello, just a question, did you try to off yourself or did somebody try to kill you?' Yes that would go down so well. Note sarcasm.

I needed a plan, a well thought out plan. A plan that was Hermione worthy... why oh why couldn't Hermione help him on this? Of course I didn't _ask _her, Hermione would have just given him a huge lecture on the privacy of others, even if it was the ferret, and how this was none of their business and then call him hypocritical, if I wanted others to respect my privacy then I should respect the privacy of others, yadda yadda... God, I swear, even as a victim Malfoy is infuriating.

Screw this! I will take my invisibility cloak and think of a plan when I get there, no one said I had patience.

~~~0~~~

I strolled down to the hospital wing in my invisibility cloak dodging masses of people, perhaps coming down before curfew was a bad idea.

Ron and Hermione might suspect something... well then again they are too absorbed with the other to really notice anyways. However Ginny, Colin, Neville, Seamus, Dean or anyone could notice I was gone and if they ask around and got no answer they would surely be suspicious. It was times like these that I really hated to have so many friends.

"Narcissa, stop fussing."I heard a low voice say from around the corner.

"How can I stop, my son is lying in there, after he tried to kill himself! I should be with him, he has to tell me what is wrong and why he did it. I need to be there to support him in his time of need."

I walked around the corner to find Snape and Narcissa. Snape's hands were on her shoulders stopping her from moving back to the Hospital Wing.

"Narcissa, I think it's best if we leave him be, he needs a little privacy."

"Oh yes, the last time he was alone things turned about fantastically!" Narcissa screeched. "You know who's fault is this? It's Potter's. The damn boy puts Lucius in jail and now our family is falling apart. Oh my Lucius," Narcissa then breaks down into a sob into Snapes arms, clinging on to him. "I have to tell him, oh Merlin! I have to be the one to tell him that our precious dragon tried to kill himself. He would be so heart broken, do you know how much he loves Draco? It would slay him, yet I have to tell him! He can't not know."

It never occurred to me to think of the Malfoys as a family. The Weasley's were a family, they showed their love and warmth to each other all the time. The Malfoy family, in public, was cool and distant but now he was probably witnessing the privet Malfoy family life.

"Lucius was the rock of our small family, you know that right, Severus? He was the one that kept us going, that constantly reminded us of who we were and what we have to live for, and now he's gone! What am I going to do? I am no Lucius, I can't give my dragon the same comforts that his father can."

"Then give him what you can, Narcissa, give him the comfort of a mother." Snape said reassuringly looking down gently at her.

This is weird. Snape being nice, Narcissa being motherly, it was all too weird.

"I don't know if I can! I told my mother that I didn't know if I could be a mother, when I found out I was pregnant. I wouldn't know what to do, how to act or even what to say! I knew I couldn't do it! I knew it, I knew it! Oh my poor dragon, it is all my fault."

"No it isn't. Collect yourself-"

"Don't tell me to collect myself, you mudblood! MY _SON_, IS IN THERE. Do you know just how painful that is?"

There was silence. Nobody knew what to say, I certainly didn't.

Narcissa had her head down, looking slightly ashamed, probably for loosing her cool. "You are right Severus, I just need a good night's sleep to gather my nerves, I will ask Dumbledor if he has any spare rooms in which I could accommodate myself. Good night." She says cooly.

I moved out of Narcissa's way as she headed to Dumbledors' office. After letting Narcissa go, Snape entered the Hospital Wing.

I let out a breath I didn't I kept. What was that?

~~~0~~~

While waiting around for Snape to leave, I began to think about so many things, the things that I heard, the things that were implied, everything about that conversation.

It was so weird to think that Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy had a heart. Had a heart capable of feeling love for their son. Then again it really shouldn't come as a shock. Look at Draco! He is so spoiled that it makes Dudley look humble.

I heard someone coming up behind me, I turn. It was Madame Pomfrey.

Sick from all the waiting I decide to enter the Hospital Wing the same time she did. I need to Draco and what was going on. It couldn't take so long to feed him a couple of potions.

~~~0~~~

A longer update! I hope you guys like this chapter, although it is just character background, I think this should help Harry understand the Malfoys. It will get better soon, I swear!

Reviews and their reviewers are loved!


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